Truck having an extendable and retractable truck bed to receive truck boxes of different lengths and method of operation thereof

ABSTRACT

A truck has an extendable and retractable truck bed for receiving removable and replacing truck boxes of different lengths. The truck bed can be extended or retracted to fit the size of the truck box. The truck bed has movable supports that can be extended or retracted from inside or outside a cab to support the appropriate length of the truck box. The movable supports also act as guide means to guide the truck box onto or off of the truck bed. In a method of extending or retracting the truck bed, a single truck can be used to mount or remove truck boxes of different sizes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. Ser. No. 09/850,084 filed on May8, 2001 and issued under U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,353 on Nov. 4. 2003.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a truck with an extendable truck bed and boxesof different lengths. The boxes are readily removable and replaceablesuccessively together with a method of operation thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trucks with removable and replaceable boxes are known. However,previously known embodiments suffer from one or more disadvantages inthat the truck bed cannot accommodate boxes of different lengths; or,the truck bed cannot be extended or retracted to correspond to thelength of the box; or, the box is not easily removable and replaceable;or, there is a large gap between the rear of the cab and the front ofthe box; or, the floor of the box is too high off the ground when thebox is loaded on the truck bed in an operating position, thereby causingthe truck to have a high centre of gravity; or, the truck is relativelyunstable when a box is mounted on the truck bed; or, the box overhangsthe truck frame by a substantial amount, thereby greatly reducing theweight on the front wheels on the truck and making the truck difficultto turn; or, the floor of the truck box is not located above a winch;or, the truck with the removable box does not have the same handlingcapability as a truck with a box that is fixed in position; or, exceptfor connecting or disconnecting the cable, the procedure for unloading abox cannot be controlled from inside the cab of the truck; or, previoustrucks are much too expensive or complex.

In one known embodiment, the truck bed has a crane permanently mountedthereon and the crane moves the box onto or off of the truck bed. Thesetrucks are extremely expensive to manufacture. Alternatively, a truckbed can have mounting arms thereon that engage two sides of a truck boxfor moving the truck box onto the bed or off of the bed. Some previoustrucks have boxes that are removed off the side of the truck bed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a truck having anumber of boxes of different lengths that can be successively mounted onthe truck and easily removed and replaced.

A truck has an extendable and retractable truck bed to receive truckboxes of different lengths. The truck has a cab and a truck bed locatedto the rear of the cab. The bed has a raised central portion extendinglongitudinally. The central portion supports a frame that is connectedto a rear of the central portion at a pivot point. At least onehydraulic cylinder extends between the central portion and the frame.The cylinder is capable of tilting the frame rearward relative to thecentral portion. The truck bed has a winch with an extendable andretractable cable mounted thereon. The truck bed has a truck boxremovably mounted on the frame. The box having attachment means thereonto receive the cable. The frame has guide means thereon and the box hasguide means thereon corresponding to the guide means on the frame. Theguide means are oriented so that the box can slide from front to rearand vice versa relative to the frame. The frame has two movable supportsthat can be extended and retracted longitudinally, the movable supportsextending or retracting a length of the truck bed. The movable supportssupport the truck box when the truck box exceeds a minimum length of thetruck bed. The length of the truck bed substantially corresponds to thelength of the truck box to be installed on the truck bed. The movablesupports also guide the truck box onto or off of the truck bed.

The frame further comprises brackets corresponding to brackets on thetruck box that interlock with one another when the truck box iscompletely mounted on the truck bed.

A method of extending or retracting a length of a truck bed of a truckto receive in succession truck boxes being first truck box and a secondtruck box, said truck boxes having different lengths, having a cab and atruck bed located to the rear of the cab uses a raised central portionon the truck bed. The central portion supports a frame that is connectedto a rear of the central portion at a pivot point. At least onehydraulic cylinder extends between the central portion and the frame.The at least one cylinder is capable of tilting the frame rearwardrelative to the central portion. The truck bed has a winch with anextendable and retractable cable mounted thereon. Each truck box hasattachment means thereon to receive the cable. The frame has guide meansthereon and the box has guide means thereon corresponding to guide meanson the frame. The frame has two movable supports that can be extendedlongitudinally to extend a rear of the truck bed or the movable supportscan be retracted. The method comprises commencing with said truck boxeslocated on a supporting surface separate and apart from the truck,backing the truck towards the first truck box so that the truck isgenerally longitudinally aligned with the first truck box and the frontof the first truck box faces the truck bed, tilting the frame upward andrearward relative to the truck bed, operating the winch to extend thecable and attaching the cable to the attachment means on the first truckbox, retracting the winch to keep the cable taut, extending the movablesupports and backing the truck closer to the first truck box whilecontinuing to retract the cable to keep the cable taut, furtherextending the movable supports as necessary and continuing to back upthe truck until a free end of the movable supports extends slightlywithin the guide means on the first truck box, retracting the winchfurther to tighten the cable and pull the first truck box closer to thetruck along the movable supports, continuing to retract the cable topull the truck box forward and upward relative to the truck until theguide means on the first truck box are engaged with the guide means onthe frame, continuing to retract the cable to pull the first truck boxonto the truck bed while lowering the frame until the front of the truckbox is located immediately behind the cab and the frame has been loweredcompletely relative to the bed, adjusting a length of the movablesupports so that a free end thereof extends substantially to a rear ofthe first truck box, subsequently reversing the method to remove thefirst truck box from the truck bed, repeating the method to install thesecond truck box on the truck bed and adjusting the movable supports sothat a free end thereof extends substantially to the rear of the secondtruck box, subsequently reversing the method to remove the second truckbox from the truck bed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a truck having a removable truck boxmounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the truck of FIG. 1 with the movablesupports extended;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a truck having an extended truck boxmounted thereon;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the truck of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the truck of FIG. 1 with the box removed;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a truck with the box removed and a frametilted rearward;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a truck having a box with the box andframe tilted rearward;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a truck shown in FIG. 7 with the boxpartially removed;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a truck shown in FIG. 8 with the boxfurther removed;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a truck shown in FIG. 9 with the boxcompletely removed from the frame;

FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of a truck having truck box thatis not fully installed on the truck bed;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an extended box that is partiallyremoved from a truck bed;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a removable cube box mounted on atruck;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the truck of FIG. 13 with the movablesupports extended;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an extended cube box mounted on atruck;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a cube box that is almost completelyremoved from the truck;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a truck where the cube box and frameare tilted backward;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a truck where the extended cube box ispartially removed from the truck; and,

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 4 schematicallyillustrating interlocking brackets on the frame and the box.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a truck 2 having a cab 4and wheels 6 with a truck box 8 removably mounted on a frame 10 of atruck bed (not shown in FIG. 1). The truck bed has a hydraulic cylinder12 mounted on a bracket 14 between the truck bed and the frame 10. Theframe 10 is pivoted at a pivot point 16 to the truck bed. Extendable andretractable movable supports 18 are located within the frame 10. Thetruck box 8 has a centrally located longitudinal channel 20 therein. Thechannel 20 can be located as shown where it is partially cut into thetruck bed frame surrounding the truck bed or it could be locatedentirely beneath the truck bed frame. Preferably, the channel is alwayslocated beneath the floor of the truck bed so as not to cause a ridgedown the centre of the floor.

In FIG. 2, the truck 2 is identical to the truck in FIG. 1 except thatthe movable supports 18 are extended. The same reference numerals areused in FIG. 2 and subsequent drawings to describe the same componentsas described in FIG. 1 without further explanation unless otherwiseindicated. It can be seen that the movable supports 18 extendhorizontally beyond a rear 22 of the truck box 8.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the truck 2 with anextended box 24 removably mounted thereon in place of the box 8. Withthe extended box 24, the movable supports 18 remain in the extendedposition shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the same truck can have either astandard length truck box 8 or an extended length truck box 24 removablymounted thereon with a rear portion of the box supported by the framewith both boxes. The movable supports are an extension of the frame. Theextended truck box 24 has taillights 25 mounted on a rear 22 thereof.

In FIG. 4, there is shown a side view of the truck 2 of FIG. 1. A truckbed 26 can be seen beneath the truck box 8. The same reference numeralsare used in FIG. 4 as those used in FIG. 1. The frame 10 extendslongitudinally between the truck box 8 and the truck bed 26. The bracket14 is connected to the truck bed 26 and the hydraulic cylinder 12extends between the bracket 14 and the frame 10. There is a secondhydraulic cylinder on the other side (not shown) of the truck 2. A winch28 is mounted at a front 30 of the frame 10. It can be seen that thereis a small gap 32 between the cab 4 and the truck box 8. The pivot point16 is surrounded by a bracket 34 that is rigidly connected to the frame10. The front 30 of the frame 28 can be designed so that the winch islocated beneath the frame 10 and the front 30 can then be moved closerto the cab 4 as can the truck box 8 to reduce the size of the gap 32even further.

In FIG. 5, there is shown a side view of the truck 2 of FIG. 4 with atruck box 8 removed. The same reference numerals are used in FIG. 5 asthose used in FIG. 4 to describe those components that are identical tothe components of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 6, there is shown a truck 2 of FIG. 5 with the frame 10 tiltedrearward about the pivot point 16. It can be seen that the winch 28 hasan extendable and retractable cable 36 located thereon. The cable 36 hasloop 38 which provides attachment means to attach the cable to a truckbox (not shown in FIG. 6). It can be seen that the hydraulic cylinders12 located on either side of the truck bed 26 are extended. The frame 10has two longitudinal U-shaped side members 40. The movable supports 18are mounted to slide within the U-shaped side members 40 and areconnected by a cross member 42. A third hydraulic cylinder 44 is mountedbetween a cross member 46 and the cross member 42. When the hydrauliccylinder 44 is retracted or extended, the movable supports 18 are alsoretracted or extended respectively. The supports are shown in anextended position and preferably the movable supports are in contactwith or in close proximity to a supporting surface 48 for the truck 2.Preferably, the hydraulic cylinders 12, the third hydraulic cylinder 44and the winch 28 are all connected to be controllable within the cab 4.The channel 20 (not shown in FIG. 6) of the truck box 8 (not shown) issized to straddle the side members 40 of the frame 10 when the truck boxis either loaded onto or removed from the frame 10. The referencenumerals used in FIG. 6 are the same reference numerals as those used inthe remaining figures to identify the same components.

In FIG. 7, the truck box 8 and frame 10 (not shown) are tilted rearwardwith the movable supports 18 being extended to the supporting surface48. To unload the box 8 from the truck bed 26, the frame 10 is tiltedrearward as shown in FIG. 8. The movable supports 18 are extended andthe winch 28 is operated to extend the cable 36. The truck box 8 thenslides rearwardly along the frame 10 with the channel 20 straddling theside members 40. In FIG. 9, the cable has been extended further and thetruck box 8 is almost completely removed from the frame 10 and truck bed26. In FIG. 10, the cable 36 is still connected but the truck box 8 isresting on the supporting surface 48. Except for the cable 36, the truckbox 8 is completely separate from the truck 2. The last step in theremoval procedure is that the cable 36 is detached from the truck box 8.To load the truck box 8 onto the truck frame 10 and truck bed 26, thecable is first connected to the truck box, the movable supports areextended and the truck is maneuvered so that it is longitudinallyaligned with the truck box. The cable is then tightened slowly to drawthe truck box onto the frame 10 as shown in FIGS. 9, 8, and 7. As thetruck box is pulled onto the frame 10, the frame 10 can be loweredtoward the truck bed 26. As the frame 10 is lowered, it is easier forthe winch to pull the truck box onto the frame 10 until the front of thetruck box contacts the front 30 of the truck 2.

In FIG. 11, it can be seen that the loop 38 is connected to a hook 50 ata front 52 of the truck box 8.

In FIG. 12, the extended box 24 is shown to be partially removed fromthe truck 2. Since the extended box 24 extends to a free end 54 of theextended movable supports 18 when the box is fully mounted in theoperating position on the truck 2, when the frame 10 is tilted rearward,the rear 22 of the box 24 will touch the supporting surface 48. Thetruck 2 is then moved forward as the winch 28 is operated to unwind orextend the cable 36. The truck is continued to be moved forward slowlyand the cable is continued to be extended until the extended truck box24 rests entirely on the supporting surface 48 separate from the truck2.

In FIG. 13, there is shown a cube box 56 having a regular length thatextends just beyond the frame 10.

In FIG. 14, the movable supports 18 are extended and extend beyond arear 22 of the cube box 56.

In FIG. 15, an extended cube box 58 is mounted on the truck 2 with themovable supports 18 remaining in the extended position shown in FIG. 13.

In FIG. 16, the cube box 56 is shown in a position so that it is almostcompletely removed from the truck 2.

In FIG. 17, the cube box 56 is shown to be fully mounted on the frame 10with the frame tilted rearward and the movable supports 18 extended.

In FIG. 18, the extended cube box 58 is shown to be partially removedfrom the frame 10. The extended cube box 58 is removed in the samemanner as the extended truck box 24. To load either the extended truckbox 24 or the extended cube box 58, the movable supports 18 are extendedand the truck is backed into position so that it is longitudinallyaligned with the truck box. The cable is then connected to the front ofthe truck box and the cable is retracted or wound to pull the truck boxonto the fame 10 with the size of the channel 20 of the truck boxstraddling the side members 40 of the frame. As the truck box 24 or thetruck box 58 advances onto the frame 10 in the approximate positionsshown in FIGS. 12 and 18, the frame is lowered toward the truck beduntil the front of the truck box is pulled into contact with the front30 of the frame 10.

In FIG. 19, a bracket 101 on frame 10 interlocks with a bracket 102 ontruck box 8 when the box is completely mounted on the truck.

In the drawings, there are four different boxes shown, being the openbox 8, the extended open box 24, the cube box 56 and the extended cubebox 58. Numerous other variations and shapes of boxes can be designed tobe removably mounted onto the frame 10 and the truck bed 26. Forexample, the truck box could have a shape similar to that of a dumptruck with higher side walls than the box 8. Since the hydrauliccylinders 12 are available to tilt the frame 10 upward or downward aboutthe pivot point 16, the truck can then be operated in the same manner asa dump truck can be operated. As another example, the truck box could bea camper that has kitchen and sleeping facilities built into it. Asanother example, the truck box could have various items such assnowmobiles mounted thereon. The truck box including the snowmobiles canthen be mounted or removed from the truck bed. The snowmobiles could bedriven onto or off of the truck box while it is resting on thesupporting surface. The truck box could be used to load or unloadwelding equipment in the same manner. The truck box could be designed tobe a waste materials bin that could be divided into one or moresubsections. Thus, it can be readily seen from the drawings and from thedescription, one truck can have a variety of uses simply by loading aparticular type of box onto the truck. A rental agency could haveseveral different sizes and shapes of boxes and a much lesser number oftrucks so that a customer would have a choice of boxes at the time ofrental. A particular customer might choose to rent two or more boxesduring one rental period and use them, one at a time, on the truck body.Of course, the truck is much more expensive than the truck boxes in mostcases and there is therefore substantial cost saving in being able tohave a variety of truck boxes mounted successively on a truck bed.

Preferably, the truck boxes and frame are electrically wired so that thelights on the extended truck box will be automatically connected intothe electrical system of the truck when the extended truck box isproperly installed on the truck bed. The taillights (not shown) areinstalled on the frame and are suitably located when a truck bed has astandard length truck box mounted thereon. However, when the truck bedhas an extended length truck box thereon, the taillights on the frameare too far underneath the truck bed to be readily seen. Therefore,extended length truck boxes have taillights mounted on a rear surfacethereof. Of course, taillights are deemed to include brake lights andback up lights.

In one embodiment, the taillights are automatically connected. Inanother embodiment, the extended length boxes have wiring (not shown)thereon that must be manually connected to wiring (not shown) on theframe in order to connect the taillights on the extended length box tothe electrical wiring of the truck.

While only standard length truck boxes of one length and extended lengthtruck boxes of another length are shown in the drawings, the presentinvention has the flexibility to receive truck boxes having lengthsbetween the regular length and the extended length. The movable supportscan be extended or retracted so that when the truck is in a travel mode,a free end of the movable supports is located substantially beneath arear surface of the truck boxes.

1. A system for transporting a variety of boxes, the system comprising:(i) a truck having a cab and a truck bed to a rear of the cab, the truckbed comprising an extendible frame pivotally mounted on the truck bed,the extendible frame capable of being tilted rearward for loading orunloading the boxes, the frame having two hollow longitudinal sidemembers within which movable supports are extendably and retractablyfitted, each movable support having a rearmost end located wholly withinits respective longitudinal side member, the movable supports both forguiding the boxes onto and off of the frame and for supporting boxesthat exceed a minimum length of the frame; and, (ii) a variety of boxesdesigned for different uses, each box having guide means thereoncorresponding to guide means on the frame, and each box being removablymountable on the frame.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein theguide means on each box is a centrally located channel extendinglongitudinally beneath each box and the guide means on the frame are thelongitudinal side members of the frame, whereby the channel straddlesthe side members when each box is mounted on the frame.
 3. The systemaccording to claim 1, wherein the truck bed comprises a winch having anextendable and retractable cable mounted thereon for pulling each box onto the frame.
 4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each box hasan attachment for receiving the cable.
 5. The system according to claim1, wherein the frame has a bracket corresponding to a bracket on box,the brackets interlocking with one another when each box is completelymounted on the frame.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein atleast one of the boxes is a camper, a welding station or a wastematerial bin.
 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least oneof the boxes is an open box, an extended open box, a cube or an extendedcube.
 8. A system for transporting a variety of boxes, the systemcomprising a truck and a variety of boxes designed for different uses,wherein the truck comprises a cab and a truck bed located to a rear ofthe cab, the truck bed comprising: a raised central portion extendinglongitudinally; an extendible frame pivotally supported on the raisedcentral portion and connected to a rear of the raised central portion ata pivot point, the frame having two hollow longitudinal side memberswithin which movable supports are extendably and retractably fitted toextend or retract longitudinally a length of the truck bed both forguiding the boxes onto and off of the frame and for supporting boxesthat exceed a minimum length of the frame; at least one hydrauliccylinder extending between the raised central portion and the frame fortilting the extendible frame rearward relative to the raised centralportion for loading or unloading the boxes; and, a winch on the truckbed having an extendable and retractable cable mounted thereon, andwherein each box comprises an attachment means thereon to receive thecable from the winch, each box comprising a centrally located channelextending longitudinally beneath each box and straddling the sidemembers of the frame, each box being removably mountable on the frame.9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the frame has a bracketcorresponding to a bracket on each box, the brackets interlocking withone another when each box is completely mounted on the frame.
 10. Thesystem according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the boxes is acamper, a welding station or a waste material bin.
 11. The systemaccording to claim 8, wherein at least one of the boxes is an open box,an extended open box, a cube or an extended cube.